Beirut Embassy Bombing Victims Win $8.4 Billion

The timing for this case to be adjudicated and announced for outcome dovetails in well for current events, but it forms a very important story in
it's own right.

The bombing of the Beirut Embassy in 1983 is no "also happened" thing. It was a very serious attack directly upon the United States of America and
was never fully settled for outcome as I and many people then and since have seen it.

This still doesn't entirely settle the ledger....but it does go some distance toward it.

Iran owes $8.4 billion to more than 300 who were injured or whose loved ones died in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, a
federal judge ruled.

In 1983, a Hezbollah suicide bomber drove a vehicle filled with more than 2,000 pounds of explosives into the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon,
killing 63 people. Six months later, Hezbollah carried out the more famous bombing of the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, killing almost 300 American
and French soldiers.

That is the history of what happened.

In the barracks bombing, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has issued more than $9.5 billion in judgments against Iran for its
support of Hezbollah.

The court on Thursday ordered Iran to pay another $8.4 billion for the Embassy bombing, adopting the recommendation of U.S. Magistrate Judge John
Facciola

As is customary for Courthouse News stories, it's a more lengthy one with a good bit of context, details and general history. It's worth the trip
over to read the full piece, in my opinion. However, the bottom line is the important part.

Never forget, never let it slide and never give up. Justice comes, eventually....even if delayed unforgivably in some cases. (30 years is pushing the
bounds of even our Justice system for getting results... WOW!).

Don't ask me the odds of collecting on this though. There is a world of difference between the ordered judgement and cash to those it's been
awarded to. Even if a clear path seems to be there.

I'll be interested to see when or if they see actual judgement amounts come to them, anytime soon. Still, Court allows the setting of factual events
to a formal record that stands in time for others to review. If nothing else, that alone is a critical part of the process, in my opinion.

You know, in reality? It depends on how the Federal Government wants to play it, if at all. Iran isn't on our favorites list...so there are ways to
make good on the Judgment without Tehran paying directly....yet still very much paying.

WASHINGTON -- More than $2 billion allegedly held on behalf of Iran in Citigroup Inc. accounts were secretly ordered frozen last year by a federal
court in Manhattan, in what appears to be the biggest seizure of Iranian assets abroad since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The legal order, executed 18 months ago by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is under seal and hasn't been made public.
The court acted in part because of information provided by the U.S. Treasury Department.

The US holds considerable money from Iran and has since 1979, atop what is listed above.

The legal battle over the funds could lead to a trial. A victory for the plaintiffs would mark the largest seizure of Iranian funds since Islamist
parties seized power in Tehran from the U.S.-backed Shah in 1979.

That year, the U.S. government froze around $12 billion of Iranian assets in retaliation for the kidnapping of American diplomats and military
personnel. While a portion of the funds was returned after the hostages' release, a United Nations body in the Netherlands continues to try and
arbitrate the return of the remaining assets, which include bank deposits, gold and real
estate.

I'm not sure how the world would feel about U.S. Courts tapping that for a U.S. held decision...but I'm not sure anyone here will much care, either.
I'm staying neutral in opinion on how money may or may not be recovered for the judgement, but will certainly keep my eyes open for more to develop.

You know, in reality? It depends on how the Federal Government wants to play it, if at all. Iran isn't on our favorites list...so there are ways to
make good on the Judgment without Tehran paying directly....yet still very much paying.

WASHINGTON -- More than $2 billion allegedly held on behalf of Iran in Citigroup Inc. accounts were secretly ordered frozen last year by a federal
court in Manhattan, in what appears to be the biggest seizure of Iranian assets abroad since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The legal order, executed 18 months ago by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is under seal and hasn't been made public.
The court acted in part because of information provided by the U.S. Treasury Department.

The US holds considerable money from Iran and has since 1979, atop what is listed above.

The legal battle over the funds could lead to a trial. A victory for the plaintiffs would mark the largest seizure of Iranian funds since Islamist
parties seized power in Tehran from the U.S.-backed Shah in 1979.

That year, the U.S. government froze around $12 billion of Iranian assets in retaliation for the kidnapping of American diplomats and military
personnel. While a portion of the funds was returned after the hostages' release, a United Nations body in the Netherlands continues to try and
arbitrate the return of the remaining assets, which include bank deposits, gold and real
estate.

I'm not sure how the world would feel about U.S. Courts tapping that for a U.S. held decision...but I'm not sure anyone here will much care, either.
I'm staying neutral in opinion on how money may or may not be recovered for the judgement, but will certainly keep my eyes open for more to develop.

Yep, so we have already taken the money from iran, with or with out the judgment, I couldn't see them caring any less.

Us telling iran to stop Nuke reactors worked wonders, My point being this is a "feel" good move for the victims and the court to feel like they
accomplished something.

What is an interesting side note to this is how us military adventurism have changed since the time of the bombing, the 80s till now. I wonder what
response a similar attack on a military barracks would entail now days.

I'm guessing the response these days would involve a few roman numerals and a couple W's in the title by the end of it. You're right though.
Perspective is lost and a sense of graduated response is shot. Piss us off and we simply kill you, take your country and give it to someone we like
better. Sad state of affairs eh?

I think Reagan should have done a bit more than go on to make deals with Iran so the precious Contra Rebels could have their selection of pop-guns,
but nothing like what I think would happen today.

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